The Bader Braves Young Aviators Flying Days programme got off to first class start with The Moray Flying Club (MFC) at Kinloss Barracks on the banks of the Moray Firth last weekend. As always our friends at MFC pulled out all the stops to give everyone a great day.

Despite the threat of some terrible weather offered by the weatherman on TV the night before the event and a very dodgy looking start to the early morning of the big day, the sun was on parade by the time Braves started to arrive in the car park of Kinloss Barracks at 08.30. The gusting wind appeared to be a greater threat to the success of the day although those in the know assured everyone that all would be fine. However, just in case things worsened, our convoy of Braves were whisked around the perimeter road to the MFC HQ which was the operations base for the day.

The clubs three sparkling Cessnas were lined up, their engines having already been warmed up and in no time at all after welcomes from the Club officials, introductions to Club members and safety briefings delivered it was into action. The first flight took to the air at 09.40 quickly followed by the two other aircraft and each disappeared on a course that would take them out over the town of Forres and beyond. Each flight lasted some thirty or so minutes and whilst Braves waited for their flight they had the opportunity to fly themselves from Kinloss in a variety of different aeroplanes on the very impressive flying club simulator although some of the Braves had a bit of trouble levering their parents out of the pilots seat!!!

Braves also had the opportunity to try on the flight kit of RAF Trainee Pilots and sample what their life was like at the controls of the famous Jet Provost trainer, a familiar sight in our skies a few years back; what a treat!!

Once everyone had enjoyed the super picnic lunch in the messroom, flying resumed for the afternoon session but the wind was now beginning to pick up; pilots and the flight controller monitored the situation closely and were in constant touch with the Met Department at RAF Lossiemouth; despite things getting a bit more “bumpy” conditions were well inside the safety limits for the time being but the prognosis for later on in the afternoon was somewhat less promising. The pilots tirelessly bashed on and by now not only was the simulator being worked to its limits but the volunteers of the Moravia Group had opened up their wonderful Nimrod exhibit and were giving the Braves their customary super guided tour of this iconic piece of British aviation history.

Sadly around 15.00 the skies grew darker and a few spots of rain began to fall; more menacing however, was the increasingly gusty wind. Even to the uninitiated a significant increase in severity was evident and with just two scheduled flights left the controller announced that he had no alternative than to ground the aircraft as wind speed now exceeded safety levels. And so our day was brought to a rather abrupt and premature end. However the two disappointed Braves on the day had their disappointment eased when the Club invited them back on a better day to take their flights with MFC.

Despite the unscheduled early close of play our first event of 2015 had been, without doubt, a huge success and on this, our seventh visit to Kinloss the enthusiasm, generosity and professionalism of our MFC friends remained as strong, if not stronger than ever. It was a fantastic club effort and each member who contributed on the day made an invaluable contribution but special mention must be made of Angie and Mick Dry who made sure things ran smoothly, Paul Geraghty who marshalled the pilots and George Mackenzie who pulled it all together and without whom our wonderful, memorable and most enjoyable day may not have happened. Thank you MFC, we hope that our Braves can return in 2016!!

Keith Delderfield

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